Everything Shetland

Teddy and I

Apologies for my absence yesterday. I did manage, thanks to my Blog Manager, Nick, to get the Advent Calendar up and working. Please pop over every so often to see if I have added a picture! While I am south it is a bit erratic as I have other things to think about – ok, I forgot!

Yesterday Mum, Teddy and I went bright and early over to Basingstoke, possibly twinned with Hell, for Mum’s cataract surgery.

There had been a blip the day before about driving Mum’s car – it is automatic and yes, I have driven it frequently on other visits but on Thursday, I sat in the driving seat and my mind went blank. I forgot how to sort out the pedals. With kangaroo petrol and Mum saying “ooh” a lot, we bounced our way to do our messages and I will admit to being very scared about driving Mum to hospital the next day.

That night, while I lay in bed I decided to deconstruct my driving and work out where I was going wrong. Ta dah! You use one foot, not two on the pedals. This was a relief to me and, the next day, when I drove Mum to hospital, it all came back and I was fine. Phew!

Mum was admitted and Teddy and I waited in the car. Luckily I had their wifi password and armed with an episode of Game of Thrones, some Star Trek films plus very nice sandwiches, Teddy and I waited patiently for Mum who appeared many hours later, at 17:00.

Luckily, still remembering how to drive, I fired up the satnav and prepared to do battle with Basingstoke Centralle to get home with gritted teeth.

One thing I am sincerely glad of – I learned to drive originally in London. Folk on a Friday evening going home for the weekend pull no punches. Shetland driving is another world.

6 thoughts on “Teddy and I”

Hope everything goes well for your mum. Shetland drivers are very polite, in our experience. We had many lovely experiences in passing places with each vehicle encouraging the other to go first. Having most of our driving experience in big cities, we found driving in Ireland and Shetland a very welcome change! All the best to you both.